In the aftermath of its 3-1 loss to Oregon, the fifth such outcome in as many games, the UCLA women’s volleyball players made a promise to each other.
“The game against Oregon was rough, and in the locker room we kind of came together as a team for an hour and a half,” said freshman setter Jordan Robbins. “(The talk) really fired us up. We needed a kick in the butt. We promised each other we’d fight in the locker room after Oregon, and we just need to stick with that mentality.”
The Bruins (10-6, 1-5 Pac-12) will now see if their newfound motivation will last in the desert as the team journeys a state over to take on the Arizona Wildcats (13-5, 3-3) today before squaring off against the No. 22 Arizona State Sun Devils (13-5, 2-4) Sunday morning.
Thus far, the meeting appears to be paying dividends.
After defeating Oregon State the day after its locker room meeting, the team enters this weekend with a boost of confidence that was absent over the past month.
“Walking away from the Oregon State game, we just realized we can fight, and we have to treat every point as our last, and I think we showed that in Oregon State,” said senior outside hitter Kelly Reeves. “I think that just carrying that momentum forward from Oregon State, the thought that you have a chance to win, no matter what, I think that’s really important.”
UCLA, which has yet to earn a victory over a currently ranked opponent, will also have its hands full with Arizona State. The Sun Devils have been dominant at times this season, with all 13 of their victories coming by way of sweep.
“Both teams are always tough; they’re always well-coached, great teams,” said coach Mike Sealy. “Arizona State beat Texas 3-0, so you know they’re a great team. I’ve seen some film on Arizona, and they’ve got some great pieces on the floor. They can do some great things.It’s always a challenge.”
The challenge is made all the greater because of a UCLA lineup that still isn’t completely set in stone. Eleven different players have made starts for the Bruins on the year, usually owing to the various injuries the team has accrued throughout the season.
However, Sealy said that he expects to have a more consistent lineup match-to-match. The Bruins hope that a more in-sync lineup, a new mentality and what Robbins called “tougher practices and higher expectations (from coaches),” could lead to UCLA finally turning the corner.
“We are still almost there. I think that there’s areas we have to get better at. The effort and the energy, that’s been good. We’re moving forward, fine-tuning some things,” Sealy said. “As long as they bring the energy, and the coaches can keep tweaking, working on some things, I think we should be good.”